Advice on childcare...

[Belle77]

next year I am going back to work part time but to a bit of a weird job - which will involve one/two evening (5-7.30) meetings a week, one or two (shorter) day time meetings a week, and some written work which I'll usually be able to do in the evenings.

On the days of the evening meetings the job will provide a flat for me to stay in the buildings where the meetings take place in central london (where I can also store a cot and toys etc all year) - so I would have loved baby belle to be taken care of in the flat while the meeting is going on then I would get up in time to put him to bed instead of travelling across London late at night and meaning we spend the least time apart.

Do I just need a babysitter? will tax credits go towards that as the job is really poorly paid or do I have to use a nanny or registered childminder to get help with the costs? how should I go about finding someone to help in central london? or would I be better off trying to find someone locally and asking them to travel to town with me in case I also need them to help me during the day time in the week? sorry for all the questions - any advice would be gratefully received... baby belle will be 7 1/2 months in January when the job starts.

[Fuschia]

To use tax credits you'll need a registered childminder or nanny. Usually a minder works in their own home, a nanny works in yours. It is also helpful if your employer will pay you part of your salary in childcare voucers for you to use with a registered provider, then you can save the tax and ni on the ?243 pcm that can be salary sacrificed in this way.

[bawdy-nan]

Isn't salary sacrifice being phased out? Also, if job really low paid then tax credits better. An OFSTED registered nanny might work for you ... a really good and useful calculator for tax credits is entitledto.org

[Fuschia]

bawdy-nan Wrote:

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> Isn't salary sacrifice being phased out? Also, if

> job really low paid then tax credits better.

You can have both. Salary sacrifice isn't being phased out just yet anyway.